Each week there are some obvious starts and sits in fantasy football. Other decisions are not quite so simple. Here are some of my picks for Week 5 in the latest edition of Studs, Duds & Sleepers.
STUDS
QB: Lamar Jackson (BAL at PIT): Jackson has as many TD runs (4) as TD passes (4) this year and leads all QB’s with 220 rushing yards through four games. He has scored 25 or more fantasy points over his last three games and has eclipsed 22 fantasy points in his last two matchups vs. the Steelers. He’ll easily get to that mark again on Sunday.
RB: Derrick Henry (TEN at IND): After much ridicule in the first three weeks of the season, Henry silenced critics with a more traditional Henry day last week vs. the Bengals. Now he gets a Colts’ D that just gave up 103 yards and multiple scores to Kyren Williams last week. Look for Henry to pad his stats as the Titans travel to Indy.
WR: Brandon Aiyuk (SF vs. DAL): The matchup vs. Dallas isn’t great, but don’t let that fool you into keeping Aiyuk locked in those lineups. He’s a top 12 wideout on my board right now. In the two complete games he’s played this year he’s scored 20 plus PPR points and he should approach those numbers again in this contest.
TE: Tyler Higbee (LAR vs. PHI): Higbee has put up top 10 numbers through the first month at tight end and this week he gets to face a Philly D that has ceded the third-most points to tight ends through four weeks. With the Rams likely having to keep pace, look for Higbee to continue to see steady targets.
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DUDS
QB: Dak Prescott (DAL at SF): Prescott enters the week as QB22 and it likely isn’t going to get better in San Francisco. The 49ers are only allowing 235 yards and one TD per game through the air this season.
RB: Miles Sanders (CAR at DET): Only three teams have allowed fewer fantasy points to running backs this year than the Lions. Sanders has yet to reach 75 yards on the ground in a single game and has made just one trip to the end zone and is nursing a sore groin.
WR: Jerry Jeudy (DEN at NYJ): After missing Week 1, Jeudy has had 17 targets over the last three weeks, but it hasn’t amounted to much with three receptions in two of those contests and no touchdowns so far this year. Only the Browns have allowed fewer fantasy points to the position than the Jets, Denver’s Week 5 opponent.
TE: Chigozeim Okonkwo (TEN at IND): As much as I am enamored by his talent/profile, the production simply hasn’t been there for Okonkwo this year. He’s TE37 in 0.5 PPR through the first quarter of the season and not worth a roster spot in most formats currently.
SLEEPERS
QB: CJ Stroud (HOU at ATL): Stroud has one of many rookies making a big early impact with 24 or more fantasy points in three straight games. The Falcons will slow the game down with their heavy running game, but the Texans’ signal caller still projects as a top 15 play in Week 5 for me and is a must add if still on your waiver wire.
RB: Samaje Perine (DEN vs. NYJ): With Javonte Williams dinged up there has been a mad rush to the waiver wire for Jaleel McLaughlin this week after he turned in some flashy highlights in relief last week. However, Perine is my preferred option as I expect him to see the goalline work and come at a much-cheaper price. If Williams is out he’s definitely a FLEX option for Week 5.
WR: Rashee Rice (KC at MIN): The rookie wideout has been seeing increased snaps and targets each week, but it hasn’t translated into a big fantasy day yet. If a breakout is coming Week 5 vs. Minnesota would be a spot for it to make sense. The Vikings are yielding 39.5 fantasy points per game (0.5 PPR) to wideouts this season.
TE: Logan Thomas (WAS vs. CHI): Thomas isn’t a bad streaming option. Sam Howell has definitely gotten him involved in each week he played and the Bears’ D is struggling on all fronts of late.
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